The Daily Record - TV & Film Blog

Pixar set to take us to infinity and beyond once again

2009-10-10T10:51:23Z

I'VE been in a bit of a Pixar mood these last couple of weeks.

A fortnight ago I caught the original Toy Story presented in 3D. A film I've seen countless times over the years managed to still feel fresh and vital 14 years after it was released.

And last night, I spent a glorious hour and a half watching what will go down as a masterpiece in movie-making. Up, Pixar's latest flick, might just be their best yet. Not an easy task when you consider they're the team behind cinematic gems like A Bug's Life, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille and Wall-E.

The original Toy Story films aren't even the best of the bunch, but for many people they're the movies that are remembered most fondly.

That's why finding the trailer for the upcoming Toy Story 3 made my day. It looks like another classic from the animation greats.

From movie-list.com:

Pandorum ** (15)

2009-09-30T12:52:17Z

CHRISTIAN ALVART is best known for his German psychological thriller Antibodies (a film I thoroughly recommend) so when I discovered he was directing a sci-fi I was excited to say the least.

Sadly it seems my excitement was misplaced as Pandorum starts of promising but descends into a full-blown mess with a not-so-subtle subtext about creation.

It's the year 2147 and two crew members, Corporal Bower (Ben Foster) and Leiutenant Payton (Dennis Quaid) wake up from hyper sleep aboard the Elysium, but neither men can remember how they got on the ship or why they are there.

Stuck in the ship, Bower is guided through the labyrinth of corridors and shafts by Payton as they attempt to piece together just what happened.

For the first 40 minutes or so the tension builds nicely. There is a distinct feeling of disorientation as Bower finds himself turning round one dark corner into another.

However, it's not long before we discover Bower isn't alone on the ship, and some of those inhabiting the Elysium aren't there for a meet and greet. It's at this point Alvart loses the plot (literally).

It turns out, as the memories of Bower and Payton start to come back to them, that earth has perished and the Elysium was sent into space before D-Day with 16,000 people aboard. They're on their way to a new planet where they will start re-populating it.

As memories return Bower teams up with two other survivors, Nadia (Antje Traue) and Manh (Cung Le). We never find out how they have survived thus far, and to be honest you don't really care much.

The trio, on the hunt for the reactor of the ship, discover they are being stalked by creatures not too dissimilar to the cannibals from Neil Marshall's The Descent. And here's a shock, they eat human meat too!

As everyone fights for their lives I had to fight myself natural instinct to laugh as Alvart beat us over the head with his 'creation' sub-plot and some very cringeworthy dialogue.

Foster is a great young actor who deserves more than the last 45 minutes of this movie gave him. He played Bower well, and his confusion and sheer desperation flew out the screen. Quaid done something he has never done before, and that was not play to type, which was refreshing.

Sadly, as we neared the end of the film it became clear a twist was on the way. Now, I love a good twist (Usual Suspects, Sixth Sense) but too many directors are now relying on them to the point they become cliched.

A proper sci-fi horror is difficult to do. For me Alien, Aliens and The Thing are proper sci-fi/horror films. Pandorum started out as a sci-fi, tried it's hand at horror before deciding it was a thriller with a psychological tilt.

As I've mentioned, it resembled The Descent. However, it also mimicked a much better sci-fi film, Event Horizon.

Do yourself a favour and rent both those films for a good nights viewing and avoid this. You'll thank me.

Strike fear into your heart... it's the Nightmare on Elm Street remake

2009-09-30T09:16:59Z

Be warned. Not only is the trailer for the new remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street - one of the great 80s horror classics - distinctly for adults... it's also for a Michael Bay film.

We're not sure which of these facts is scarier.

Noel Clarke returning to director's chair

2009-09-18T09:28:54Z

ANYONE who has seen Noel Clarke act knows the boy has enough chops to become a major star. But it's his reputation behind the camera that is generating a lot of buzz.

Having written and starred in Kidulthood, he stepped it up a gear when he wrote, directed AND starred in the follow-up, Adulthood.

Clarke first came to my attention in Doctor Who when he played Mickey Smith for 14 episodes. And he showed his writing talent when he penned one episode of the Doctor Who spin-off, Torchwood (the episode was called Combat for anyone wanting to know).

More recently though, he picked up a 'Rising Star' Bafta earlier this year for his sterling work in British film and TV.

Now Clarke is prepping himself for another stint behind the camera after starting principal photography on his new film, 4.3.2.1.

The story follows four different girls who are living four very different lives that become intertwined when they are suddenly connected to one robbery.

He has managed to pull together a decent cast for the film including Tamsin Egerton (St. Trinian's); Emma Roberts (Wild Child); Ophelia Lovibond (London Boulevard) and Adulthood co-star Shanika Warren Markland.

And holding up their end for the male side of the cast is Ben Miller and Sean Pertwee.

If you're a fan of Clarke, then this is something to keep an eye on. As are the films he stars in that have just finished production. They include Centurion, written and directed by Neil Marshall (let's hope it's better than the car wreck that was Doomsday) and Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, the biopic of Ian Dury.

Why was it never released?

2009-09-03T09:47:30Z

IN 1994 Roger Corman had a vision. He wanted to bring those Marvel heroes, The Fantastic Four, to the big screen.

Sure, there was a somewhat noticeable lack of CGI in those days, but Corman's version of the comic book was both hilarious and shoddy at the same time.

Many may think that compared to the Tim Story release from 2005 it is impressive but the rubber costumes will take you back to a simpler time. A time when we didn't have to rely on computer graphics. A time when we could enjoy a comic book adaptation for what it was - pure, unadulterated fun without the bells and whistles.

So, if you've never seen the Roger Corman version of The Fantastic Four then just take a looksy below. You'll be...underwhelmed. But in a good way.

Disney buys Marvel for $4bn

2009-09-03T08:17:34Z

SO the giant business that is Disney has decided to splash out some $4bn on Marvel in a deal that has left many people perplexed and worried.

The puzzlement comes from the fact that some are wondering: "Why Disney?" If someone like Sony had bought the comic book franchise then it would be less of a concern, but Disney? Does that mean we'll soon be seeing a Marvel action figure making a cameo in the likes of Toy Story? Will Buzz be teaming up with Spider-Man? Probably not, but the mind does boggle.

As for the worried folk out there - they will be wondering about what will happen to those franchises already started. Will it have an effect on the forthcoming Spidey 4 & 5? Will The Avengers film be shelved or will it have more of a chance now major funds are in place?

Personally speaking, I feel this can be a good thing for Marvel...if done in the right way. Having spoken to a friend (and colleague) regarding this deal, he believes that Marvel could now thrive under such a deal. With the money behind the company, they can properly promote films without having to dip into their own profits from previous releases.

In the long-term, it remains to be seen what will happen to certain franchises but for now we'll just have to look forward to future releases.

Funny People **** (15)

2009-08-25T14:16:33Z

JUDD APATOW is best known as the man behind the gross-out comedies Knocked Up, 40-Year-Old Virgin and many others.

But Mr A has darkened his demeanour to bring us a black comedy that is more about redemption and getting a second chance than it is about getting laughs at the disgusting.

Don't get me wrong, Funny People has a whole raft of penis and fart jokes that are funny but at the heart of this film is a fantastic turn by Adam Sandler, ably backed up by Apatow's mate Seth Rogan, but don't go into this expecting the typical Apatow content.

George Simmons (Sandler) is a world-famous comedian who has made his money out of hit films but his world is turned upside down when he's given the news that he's suffering from a form of Leukaemia that could kill him.

Simmons decides to go back to his roots and perform stand-up. That's where he meets Ira Wright (Rogan), a struggling comedian who he takes under his wing. Ira takes on the job of Simmons' assistant whilst also writing him new stand-up material.

The bond these men share is at it's most prominent when Simmons asks Ira to talk to him as he tries to get to sleep. While asking Ira about his childhood Simmons lets us glimpse his childhood when he says: "My dad has never found me funny. But I'll make him laugh..."

It's at this point we see just how alone the main character is. Despite all the trappings of a successful life as an actor and comedian, the only people who give him any time are those women who want to sleep with him or the men wanting their photograph taken with him. And that's a sad sight.

We then discover Simmons also has a lost love. Laura (Leslie Mann) is the "one who got away", and when she discovers he is ill she visits him and we see the spark is still there between the two.

Laura is in a dead marriage to Clark (Eric Bana) and she sees her rekindled relationship with Simmons as a way out. But things change sooner than you expect.

Rogan and Sandler have a natural rapport that makes them very easy to watch on-screen but most of the laughs come from the exchanges between Ira and his two roommates, Leo (Jonah Hill) and Mark (Jason Schwartzman). And some of the stand-up footage is genuinely funny, especially Rogan's description of what David Backham, Will Smith and Tom Cruise do after discovering they have done almost everything.

It's also refreshing to see Sandler in a film where he doesn't play Adam Sandler. Reign Over Me is another such film, but I think I'm in the minority of those who enjoyed that.

Apatow has given us an insight into how someone deals with the life-changing news that death is near and how, despite their best efforts, attempts to re-connect with those once close to them make them realise they could be taking another step backwards rather than moving forward.

This is a darkly funny film with a serious message at it's core and despite a rather timid ending, it reaffirms my belief that Apatow and his stablemates (Rogan, Hill & Schwartzman) are the new kings of comedy in Hollywood.

Our first look at James Cameron's Avatar

2009-08-20T14:14:50Z

IT'S one of the most eagerly anticipated films for years, and now we're getting our first look.

Avatar is said to revolutionise cinema as we know it - first conceived by director James Cameron 14 years ago, he waited until technology had reached a point where it could match his unique vision.

The 3-D flick is about a disabled war veteran (Sam Worthington), whose consciousness is downloaded into an 'avatar', a blue-skinned, 10 foot tall native of the planet Na'vi. It also stars Zoe Saldana and Cameron legend Sigourney Weaver.

You can watch the clip here - it's the French version, but the trailer is all about the visuals, with only one word spoken - you'll be able to find the English version on Apple trailers shortly - I'll try and embed the Youtube version later on.

Personally I was a little disappointed at how obvious some of the CG was, with the trailer at some points looking like a video game. I think the hype has gone too far with Avatar, and the short trailer hasn't done much for my expectations. Yes, some of it looked beautiful, but it's the story that matters - here's hoping it can elevate Avatar to the level some people are already placing the film.

Law Abiding Citizen trailer

2009-08-14T07:15:53Z

GERARD BUTLER is fast-becoming a wanted man on the other side of the pond.

Following his performance in 300, the Scotsman's stock just seems to keep rising.

We can (almost) forgive him for his Irish 'accent' in PS I Love You, but seeing Butler play a demented, bloodthirsty nutter is something that many people would pay good money for.

Thankfully, that can now become a reality with his new thriller Law Abiding Citizen.

Butler plays Clyde Shelton - a man whose world is torn apart when his family is brutally murdered by two armed robbers.

When Shelton's lawyer Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) allows the killers to go free thanks to a plea bargain, the devastated family man decides to take the law into his own hands.

The brilliant sociopath carries out the killing of a death row inmate and is then sentenced to jail term himself. From inside his cell, Shelton manages to grip the city of Philadelphia in fear as he targets the District Attorney who helped seal the plea bargain.

As the body count piles up it turns out Shelton's lawyer is the only person who can stop things from escalating.

Law Abiding Citizen is a departure for Butler and the trailer certainly looks promising, even if it does resemble the Kevin Bacon-starring Death Sentence from 2007.

For a look at what you can expect, just take a gander below.

Law Abiding Citizen is due for release

The Ballad of GI Joe

2009-08-11T12:52:21Z

For those of you who suffered through GI JOE: The Rise of Cobra, like I had to on Sunday...

First off, my condolences on wasting two hours of your life that could have been spent doing anything else. Watching paint dry while being flicked with barbed wire, for example - which would still have been less dull and painful than GI Joe.

Secondly - did you spot the exact moment in the film that Christopher Eccleston's credibility gave up and died?

And finally, hopefully to cheer you up after that travesty of noise and CGI pretending to be a film, may we present this - a brilliant spoof song with an all-star cast (including Vinnie Jones and Julianne Moore, a pairing not often put together) about what the Joes and Cobra get up to on their nights off, which captures the spirit of GI Joe far better than the film ever could.

Enjoy...

The Ballad of G.I. Joe from Olivia Wilde

John Hughes dies, aged 59

2009-08-07T07:30:13Z

IT is with sadness that I write the legendary 80s comedy director John Hughes has died of a heart attack at the age of 59.

Hughes is the genius behind such hits as The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Weird Science and Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

He was also responsible for Home Alone as well as the 90s remake of Miracle On 34th Street.

Hughes was born in Michigan, where he set a lot of films, and after starting out as a copywriter in Chicago he decided to go into the filmwriting business. His inspiration for moving in that direction came after he helped rewrite a fair few poor films at that time. Hughes thought he could do better.

His CV has him as a writer on 16 films while he directed seven and us children of the 80s will sorely miss the man who brought joy into our lives with his manic comedies.

For anyone unsure of why Hughes is such a big part of our lives, you should just take a look at the clips below from some of his best work.

Hughes is survived by his wife of 39 years, Nancy, and his two sons.

Check out The Lovely Bones

2009-08-05T08:25:32Z

PETER JACKSON'S adaptation of Alice Sebold's stunning novel, The Lovely Bones, has been a long time coming, but it's almost here - and I have the trailer to prove it.

The harrowing tale of teen Susie Salmon's rape and murder and how it affects those closest to her was heart-wrenching when reading it from the pages of a book.

And my hopes are that it's just as powerful on the big screen. With A cast including Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlberg, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci and Atonement's Saoirse Ronan in the lead role, it could match those hopes.

Jackson's love of the best-selling novel means he has put everything he has into this re-telling and the early signs are impressive. Let's keep our fingers crossed that the film doesn't lose the magic from the book.

PJ has already brought to life another classic book in the guise of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and he managed to picture things like the Shire and Gollum exactly as I had.

Back to The Lovely Bones, considering the source material, it's not going to be a fairytale style film, and Tucci looks particularly menacing in his role as Mr Harvey.

Click here to watch the trailer.

We could be Heroes...

2009-07-30T18:50:22Z

I gave up on Heroes after the cop-out ending to Season 1, but the show continues on, albeit probably not as popular as it was in its infancy.

We're now on Season 4, and following the end of Prison Break it looks like T-Bag is stepping up to be the big villain of the season.

Fun game - count how many times they mention redemption - way to hammer home the theme guys!

Here's the trailer:

Not your average war movie

2009-07-29T09:51:28Z

KATHRYN BIGELOW has made a career as a director with films focusing on men in extreme situations - K19 and Point Break to name but two.

However, now she has come up with her most accomplished work to date with the tense, dramatic and superb war movie The Hurt Locker.

To call this 'just another Iraq film' would be doing it a disservice. The Hurt Locker doesn't dwell on the fact the soldiers are risking their lives in the Middle East. Iraq is merely the setting for a nerve-shredding two hours of trauma that you'll need a stiff drink to recover from.

The opening five minutes set the tone as a group of EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) technicians go about their daily task of diffusing roadside bombs.

Sergeant Matt Thompson (Guy Pearce) is working alongside his team, Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) at a site where a suspicious device had been seen. When their robot fails to reach the bomb it's left to Thompson, who dons a somewhat sci-fi body armour suit, to do the job himself.

The panic that ensues at the sight of a local man with a mobile phone shows us just how much these guys live their lives on a knife edge. And the aftermath is horrific as the bomb explodes in a slow-mo scene that shakes you to your very core.

Thomspon's death is sad but as is the case in war, a man can be replaced by another. And in comes Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner).

His introduction doesn't go down so well as his gung-ho antics rile Sanborn and Eldridge. Every attempt to diffuse a bomb is so tense you can feel yourself clenching with each move James makes.

What we come to learn is that James is a man who struggles to deal with the every day chores of normal life back home - his efforts while shopping for food with his wife and son are painful - but comes across as serene and calm while approaching a bomb. War is his drug and it's clear that the possibility of dying is his trip.

If you're after a white-knuckle ride then The Hurt Locker is certainly one you should look out upon its release. At times it is difficult to watch, in a good way, and when you have James Cameron calling it 'the Platoon of the Iraq war' then you'll understand how highly thought of this film is.

Bigelow has surpassed herself with a war movie that isn't actually about the war. It's a story of men who live each day knowing it could be their last. The Hurt Locker is such a powerful, moving experience that you'll feel bruised and scarred once the end credits roll. Possibly the best film of 2009.

First look at remake of The Prisoner

2009-07-25T16:47:18Z

American cable channel AMC has been kind enough to release a 9-minute trailer to their upcoming remake of classic British series The Prisoner.

It stars Jim Caviezel as Number 6 and Ian McKellen as Number 2, and the six-episode series will air on ITV on our shores, probably sometime before Christmas.

Here's the clip, showing that while the location may have changed, much of what made the original so beloved will remain:

Jesus vs Gandalf? It's like MTV's Celebrity Deathmatch never stopped airing...